Low Voltage Network Solutions

Plenary session A – Monitoring Networks

Dan RandlesQuality of Supply and Technical Manager/LCNF Tier 1 Manager

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Aims and Objectives

Aim to improve understanding of existing and future characteristics of Electricity Northwest’s Low Voltage (LV) networks and to aid development of future policy and practice

Three key themes of the project• LV Network Monitoring

• LV Network Modelling

• LV Network Solutions

3 year project started in April 2011 costing £1.5M

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Network Monitoring

Scope of the deployment• 200 x 11kV or 6.6kV to 415V

distribution substations• Over 1000 LV feeders• Sites comprise indoor and

outdoor, mostly ground mounted with small number of pole mounted transformers

Analogues to be captured• RMS voltages and currents• Real and reactive power• 3ø + neutral • Temperature (Ambient, Tx)• Real-time (1 minute

averages!)• Harmonics (not real time)

Metrology and Communications

(V, I, Q, P, H, Temp)

GPRS/3GPrivate APN

ENWiHost

UoMDB Offline

data transfer

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Data Flow

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Installations (1)

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Installations (2)

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Installations (3)

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Feeder mid-point and end-point

Low Voltage Smart joint takes monitoring beyond the substationUtilises the Gridkey ‘grid hound’ current sensor3-phase service cable used for phase voltages (IPCs)Gridkey metrology and communication unit to be mounted at street level with separate communications channel to iHOST

Metrology

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Demand characteristics

1 minute resolution provides interesting insights …… now we just need to understand what it means …

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Lessons learnt

Installation resourcesIT and system integration issuesCustomer impact must be minimisedTrue partnering approach with all project stakeholdersFlexible solutions needed owing to on-site variationsSite surveys essential to avoid problemsInstallation quality including anti tamper/vandalLarge volumes of data being generated which needs managing – requires new tools/systems

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Network Modelling

Topology Information MPAN

InformationConductorInformation

Relationship MPAN-Profile

Class

Profiles Class (half hourly

profile)

ReconnectionModel

OpenDSS Representation

Power Flow Simulation

From GISFrom other Database

Automatic Process

Validate

Extract

Analyse

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Networks solutions

Its about specifications, standards, policies and practices; understanding how these ought to evolve

The adoption at scale of low carbon technologies will have a significant impact on LV networks• Voltage rise/drop

• Congestion/overload of assets

Monitoring is key to firstly understanding the capabilities of LV networks both now and in the future and secondly facilitating smart operation• Trade-off between visibility and cost

• Sampling rates should be appropriate

Appears likely that active means of controlling voltages and loadings in LV networks will be implemented in the future• Significant change in operation and planning procedures for DNOs

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Thank you

Any questions…?

Key contact namesDan Randles (Electricity Northwest)Paul Beck/Oliver Burstall (Gridkey)Julian Brown/Simon Hodgson (Nortech)Dr Luis Ochoa (UoM)